This is the most common and easiest method of making kashk bademjan, Persian eggplant dip. Kashk bademjan does not get any easier than this recipe, trust me. All you have to do is mash the pan-fried eggplants and combine them with a mixture of fried onions and garlic, and finish the dish by mixing in the kashk and garnishing with more kashk and fried mint. Another way of serving this dish is to place the fried whole eggplants on a platter, pour some kashk over them and garnish with fried onions, mint and garlic. Kashk is a creamy whey made from fermented dairy products. It has a strong odor like a well-aged cheese with a mild saltiness and sourness to it. It can be found in Middle Eastern markets or on Amazon. If you can’t find it, use sour cream or yogurt, although the taste won’t be quite the same.

In a large skillet, heat 5 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplants. Fry each side until golden brown.

While eggplants are frying, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet. Add onions. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the edges turn golden, stir occasionally. Add chopped garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes.

When eggplants are ready, add the onion mixture, salt, pepper, saffron, and 1/4 cup water to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until the eggplants are tender and all the liquid is gone.

Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet used for onions. Add dried mint leaves and cook for one minute or until the color of oil becomes greenish.

Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Stir in half of the kashk. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The amount of salt in kashk varies depending on the brand used. It’s best to adjust the seasoning after adding kashk.

Transfer to a serving platter or a bowl. Garnish with the remaining kashk and fried mint. Serve with pita bread.

In a large skillet, heat 5 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplants. Fry each side until golden brown.

While eggplants are frying, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet. Add onions. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the edges turn golden, stir occasionally. Add chopped garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes.

When eggplants are ready, add the onion mixture, salt, pepper, saffron, and 1/4 cup water to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until the eggplants are tender.

Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet used for onions. Add dried mint leaves and cook for a minute or until the oil color is a bit greenish.

Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Stir in half of the kashk. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The amount of salt in kashk varies depending on the brand used. It’s best to adjust the seasoning after adding kashk.

Transfer to a serving platter or a bowl. Garnish with the remaining kashk and fried mint. Serve with pita bread.

Kashke bademjan is a Persian eggplant dip that is traditionally made with golden-fried eggplants that are cooked with caramelized onions and garlic. The mixture is then mashed, combined with kashk (thickened whey) and garnished with caramelized onions and sautéed mint and garlic. There are various ways of making kashke bademjan depending on how you cook the eggplants (simmer, fry, grill, bake or roast in the oven). The method used in this recipe uses the least amount of oil for cooking the eggplants. Toasted walnuts add more texture and flavor to this dish, in addition to their health benefits.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Add half of the chopped garlic and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until slightly golden. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Wipe the skillet used for garlic clean and heat another tablespoon of oil. Add dried mint and sauté over medium high-heat for about a minute or until the mint color slightly changes to darker green. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Mix 1 tablespoon kashk with 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl and set aside.

Mint and garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter. Transferring them to a cool dish stops the cooking process by lowering the oil temperature.

In a medium-sized skillet toast walnuts over medium-high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Finely grind walnuts in a food processor using the on-off pulse setting. Stop the machine periodically and scrape down the sides of the bowl for an evenly textured-textured ground. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

The finer the walnut ground, the smoother the finished dip will be. Using walnuts in kashke bademjan not only enhance its flavor and texture, it also reduces the amount of kashk used.

Heat the remaining oil (4 tablespoons) in a deep skillet. Add chopped onions, sauté over medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining garlic, cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, pepper, turmeric and 1 cup hot water. Add chopped eggplants and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Stir eggplants a few times during the cooking process.

When eggplants are tender add ground walnuts and saffron, cook (uncovered) for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid is gone. The eggplants are done when you see oil coating the bottom of the pan.

Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Stir in kashk. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

The amount of salt in kashk varies depending on the brand used. It’s best to adjust the seasoning after adding kashk.

Transfer kashke bademjan to a serving platter or a bowl. Garnish with sautéed mint and garlic.

Set ingredients on the counter.

Chopped onions and eggplants.

Kashk is a thick whitish liquid similar to whey, a dairy product, and is used in traditional Persian cooking like Ash Reshteh and Kashk Bademjan. It’s available in Iranian or Arabian supermarkets.

Chopped garlic.

Saute’ half of the garlic in 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until golden, transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

This is how it should look

Saute’ mint in 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes or until color slightly changes .

This is how it should look

Garnishes

Toast walnuts in a skillet for about 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.

Finely grind walnuts in a food processor.

Pulse the machine on and off scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet. Add chopped onions.

Saute’ on medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden. Add the remaining garlic, saute’ for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Add half of the chopped garlic and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until slightly golden. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Wipe the skillet clean and heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add dried mint and sauté over medium high-heat for about a minute or until the mint color slightly changes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Mix 1 tablespoon kashk with 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl and set aside.

Mint and garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter. Transferring them to a cool dish stops the cooking process by lowering the oil temperature.

In a medium-sized skillet toast walnuts over medium-high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Finely grind walnuts in a food processor using the on-off pulse setting. Stop the machine periodically and scrape down the sides of the bowl for an evenly textured-textured ground. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

The finer the walnut ground, the smoother the finished dip will be. Using walnuts in kashke bademjan not only enhance its flavor and texture, it also reduces the amount of kashk used.

Heat the remaining oil (4 tablespoons) in a deep skillet. Add chopped onions, sauté over medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining garlic, cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, pepper, turmeric and 1 cup hot water. Add chopped eggplants and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Stir eggplants a few times during the cooking process.

When eggplants are tender add ground walnuts and saffron, cook (uncovered) for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid is gone. The eggplants are done when you see oil coating the bottom of the pan.

Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Stir in kashk. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

The amount of salt in kashk varies depending on the brand used. It's best to adjust the seasoning after adding kashk.

Transfer kashke bademjan to a serving platter or a bowl. Garnish with sautéed mint and garlic.